The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-07
YESTERDAYS SECOND EDITION.
THE following items of news appeared in our
Second Edition of Sunday:l
Mr.. Beecher,s Illness.

will have the following: The chances OF MT.
Beecher's recovery are stated by DIR. William s.
Searle, his family physician, in the following
words He may live day, and he may i've a
week, and there is bare possibility that ne
may survive the shock, but his full mental ana
bodily faculties can never be restored MT.
Beecher's illness was altogether unexpected. he
was in his usual good health no to last
Thursday evening. He ate a light sup
per- consisting OF half dozen roast
CLANS and spent the evening playing
backgammon with Mrs. Beecher. He retired
early and did not complain of feeling unweil.
He, however, appeared restless after lying down,
so much SO tina. he attracted the attention OF ms
wife. He told her that he had been suffering
with severe headache all night. an affection TO
which he is comparative stranger He vom
tied profusey, and said he felt little
better. Shortly after he fell asleep, ana
slept without break until 33O O'CLOCK
during this time, as it has been his habit Tor
years to sleep in that manner when out OF sorts
He was accustomed to say that sleep was one OF
his grandest remedies.
Dr. Hutchinson was called by Mrs. Beecner
The Doctor said to a reporter: 81 reached the
house at $50 o'clock yesterday afternoon, ana
found Mr.. Beecher sleeping. His appearance
was quite natural, although thought his face
skin, especially of his extremites, was cool, but
not cold l easily aroused Mr. Beecher, and ne
was perfectly conscious l said to him: You
have slept SO long thatsyour wife became wor-
ried. and sent for me.
YES he responded, Il have slept a good
while I've been dreaming 1t was rather pleas
ant sort of dream, too You know l have always
been great dreamer
"'What was your DREAM? asked.
"I thought, was the reply. that l had been
made duke and my wife duchess l dreamed
we had large amount of property invested IN
British consols, and I've been trying all night to
figure out the income. You know, Doctor. thas
arithmetic has always been great source of
| trouble to me-"
The Doctor continued: 'I took my patients
pulse 1t was about eighty, and thought 1t
was too full and too hard. He was lying on MS
back, and he moved all his limbs with apparent
freedom. His symptoms were much the same as
he has been accustomed to in attacks of indiges-
ton or biliousness and both myself and the
family concluded that nothing more serious was
threatened prescribed appropriate remedies
and left. not having been in the house
more than half an hour: l called
| again, however, at 10 o'clock the same
evening At that time found the pulse much
better; it was softer. and somewhat reduced in
| frequency. / observed, however, that Mr.
| Beecher's articulation was thick. He seemed
drowsy, but answered questions readily. He
seemed. on the whole. better than in the after
n %. was, however, apprehensive that his
condition was serious than it appeared
on the surface, and when l left
it was with the injunction that 1 be
called at once if there was any change in the pa
| tents condition. Mr.. Beeehers son William
stayed at the bedside with his mother till mid
| night and then retired. Mrs. Beecher on
| the alert all night long. The family did not see
fit to call me till o'clock this morning. and the
| moment / arrived I saw that there had been a
decided change for the worse. There was par
| tial paralysis of the entire left side, 1t being
| most marked il the arm and hand The grasp
| of the right hand was as vigorous as ever. but
| that of the left was almost imperceptible. The
| left leg was not as much paralyzed as the arm,
| and the sensation Of both arm and leg appeared
| perfect.
"'Can you move your left arm9 1 asked Mr..
Beecher
".Oh. yes he replied, I can touch my head
| with my hand
"He tried to do so. and found that he could
not, and it seemed to annoy him. All this time
he was exceedingly drowsy. When asked
then drop into the drowsy state.
He was not in comatose condition by
any means. His pupils were contracted,
! but they responded well to the light When
| ly produced, and that with evident difficulty.
His temperature was then 80 degrees, about half
a degree above the normal. His pulse was 80,
when it is usually 20 to TO- His respiration was
normal and much like that OF a man partially
aroused from deep slumber He said
his head still panied him, that there
was boring pain in the right side
Frequently he carried his right hand involun-
tarily to his head. where it panied. 1 pro-
| nounced his case one of apoplexy, and l sent for
| Prof VIM. A. Hammond. of New York. l took
| Mrs Beecher and William aside and told them
| how serious the case was. They were incredu-
lous at first and thought it impossible, as the
symptoms were much like what they had
| been accustomed to in times past. Mrs. Beecher
| was overcome with grief when she fully realized
| the truth, but bore up bravely when encouraged
| by her son.
'"Dr Hammond arrived at o'clock and it was
then evident that Mr.. Beecher was failing His
| temperature was 100 Is and his resprations
| wer Oe ma macmillan
as Cheyne-Stokes respiration. indicating ser
Gus cerebral disease The paralysis had in
creased, and there was power OF
grasp whatever left in the hand By tickling the
bottom of his foot we caused him to draw it up
| producing reflex motion, but otherwise the limb
was helpless He was still suffering from pain
and managed to say so indistinctly. His articu
lation was more impaired than ever, and his ex
tremities had become equally warm His
face. at times, was very much flushed, and
at no time was it pale. He moved his right arm
and leg uneasily, as if he were suffering pain
He remained on his back, and made no attemp,
to roll over From his whole condition at thai
time it was the opinion of DR.. Hammond and
myself that his condition extremely serious
We therefore advised the family to notify
all absent members. It is evident that the
effusion of blood in the right hemisphere of the
brain is still spreading. l was not surprised,
said the Doctor, 'at Mr.. Beechers attack.
have known for three years past that he had in
cipient BrIght's disease in mild form. 1t ha.
|
ing, to wrap up his feet in rugs to keep then
warm. He was troubled with rushing of blood
to his head"
The family's account of Mr.. Beecher's attack
as given out tonight, is as follows: Between
and o'clock on Friday morning he awoke hi
wife and complained of feeling ill. She arose tt
get him a drink of something, but before sh'
could do so he commenced vomiting. Sh,
thought nothing of the attack. supposng tina
he had eaten something which had disagreed
with him, that he was suffering from bilious
ness. The fit of vomiting lasted some time
and when it had passed Mr.. Beecher lay bacl
on his pillow, quite exhausted.
In a short time he fell asleep, and Mrs. Beech
er concluded that he would be better in few
hours. When Mr.. Beecher did not come dowr